10 things all visitors to Japan should know

In Japan, small gestures matter. From how to hold your bowl to what to do with rubbish, our local expert explores Japanese social etiquette – and how travellers can follow with ease.

While many first-time visitors to Japan are lured by its ancient temples and futuristic cities, they often leave most impressed by its spotless streets, punctual trains and elaborate meals. Why are the streets so clean, anyway?

Get to know your expert

Mizuki Uchiyama is a Japanese journalist who has lived more than a decade in both Tokyo and Osaka. She brings firsthand insight into the cultural nuances, regional differences and everyday etiquette that shape life across the country.

Travellers to Japan may find more than just the language barrier confusing, as the nation is famous for its many unwritten rules of social etiquette.

Japanese culture places a strong value on the good of the group over the individual, which can sometimes lead to unintentionally awkward experiences for outsiders. Adopting some simple customs as a traveller is greatly appreciated, and signals that you want to be a mindful guest.

From how to call your server to how not to hold your chopsticks, here are 10 things many Japanese residents wished tourists knew before they visited.

Mind your chopstick and bowl manners

Chopsticks are the default utensil in Japan, and they come with their own set of rules. Avoid sticking them upright in your rice or passing food between pairs of chopsticks; doing so echoes Japanese funeral rituals and will needlessly remind Japanese diners around you of a loved one's passing. When you're not using them, place them on the small chopstick rest or across your bowl. It's also best to lift your soup or rice bowl towards your face to eat, as hunching over bowls is considered rude in Japan.

Japan's renowned food scene includes hundreds of regional noodle specialties – many of which are served in soups, from earthy ramen to satisfying udon. In the West, eating your soup noisily might earn you side eye, but in Japan, slurping noodles is traditionally seen as the best way to enjoy them. The habit dates from Edo-period soba culture, when noodles were often eaten quickly as street food. It was believed that slurping helped the noodles and broth come together, enhancing the aroma and cooling the piping-hot noodles in one go.

Visitors aren't expected to order in Japanese, but mastering a few simple phrases will please your server and impress your new Japanese friends. When dining at an izakaya (Japanese gastropub) or other casual eatery like a curry house or ramen shop, call out "sumimasen!" (Excuse me!) to get a server's attention – respectfully. "Nama hitotsu" (one draught beer, please) will get you a draught, and adding........

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